Abandoning Worldly Appetites

In the Qur'an Allah states that the world has been adorned in such a way to separate true believers from insincere people:

"We made everything on Earth adornment for it so that We could test them to see whose actions are the best" (Surat Al-Kahf: 7).

Some of these adornments are described in the Qur’an:

The love of worldly appetites appears fair in people's eyes, painted in glowing colors: women and children, heaped-up mounds of gold and silver, horses with fine markings, livestock, and fertile farmland. All of that is merely the enjoyment of the life of this world. The best homecoming is in Allah's Presence.  (Surah Al 'Imran, 14)

Each thing listed here was created as a blessing for humanity. However, it is up to individual human beings to realize that these blessings are from Allah and that they are obliged to thank Him and use them in ways to win His favor. Each blessing should draw people closer to Allah and lead them to give Him greater thanks and better appreciate His greatness, intelligence, artistry, infinite mercy, and generosity. Individuals should always be aware that He can remove all of these things whenever He wills and that, apart from Him, there is no power that can help them.

Those believers who are aware of this understand that, apart from Allah, they have no other friends, or helpers, and that only Allah protects and cares for them, gives them their blessings and daily bread, makes their work easier, and bolsters their heart with a sense of contentment and security. They are attached to Allah with such a deep love and unshakable trust that their greatest fear is that of failing to win His approval, pleasure, love, and friendship. Therefore, they avoid any action that might cause this by doing their best to please Him and conform to the Qur'an's moral teachings.

In accord with this sincerity, they use every blessing they have to win Allah's favor, friendship, and infinite mercy. Of course, all of the things listed above are blessings for believers; however, they are never more important than winning His approval. Believers are never greedy for such profits, for they would give up any one of them immediately in order to win His approval.

Some people measure self-sacrifice in terms of looking after their own needs, desires, and comfort before considering the well-being of others. But this view has nothing to do with the moral understanding of self-sacrifice described in the Qur'an. When these people say that they have been self-sacrificial in some things, they mean only with regard to things they do not need, things whose absence does not really trouble them. They may think they are being self-sacrificial, but the Qur'anic morality is being able to renounce all gain and give up without a second thought that which he/she loves the most:

You will not attain true goodness until you give of what you love. 

Whatever you give away, Allah knows it. (Surah Al 'Imran, 92)

Another measure is not expecting any benefits in return other than Allah's good pleasure in performing self-sacrificial acts and not making the recipient feel obligated. Some people do a favor for someone else and then take every opportunity to mention it so that the recipient will feel obligated and so that they can claim a favor in the future, if necessary. Some seek to collect appreciation from those around them, hoping that they will say how generous and kind-hearted they are. However, the purpose of sincere self-sacrifice is not to gain any material or emotional return, but to win Allah's approval:

"The metaphor of those who spend their wealth, desiring the pleasure of Allah and firmness for themselves, is that of a garden on a hillside. When heavy rain falls on it, it doubles its produce; and if heavy rain does not fall, there is dew. Allah sees what you do" (Surat al-Baqara: 265).

In addition:

"Those who give their wealth to purify themselves – not to repay someone else for a favor done – desiring only the Face of their Lord Most High. They will certainly be satisfied" (Surat al-Layl: 18-21).

Allah tells us not to belittle others and make them feel obligated, and mentions a reward for those who follow these words:

Those who spend their wealth in the way of Allah and then do not follow what they have spent by demands for gratitude or insulting words will have their reward with their Lord. They will feel no fear and will know no sorrow. (Surat al-Baqara: 262)

Allah also tells us that believers, because of their moral superiority, often keep quiet about what they have given:

[People of intelligence] are steadfast in seeking the Face of their Lord; perform prayer and give from the provision We have given them, secretly and openly; and stave off evil with good. They will have the Ultimate Abode. (Surat Ar-Ra'd: 22) 

Another measure of sincere self-sacrifice can be seen among those who are poor or who have limited means. Such people could claim material and emotional difficulties in an attempt to assuage their conscience. However, they must not forget that Allah cares for them, as well as supports and helps them, and that He will show them an easy way out of their difficulties if they show a good moral character. Allah says that better things await those who seek only His approval:

Those who respond to their Lord will receive the best. But as for those who do not respond to Him, even if they owned everything on Earth and the same again with it, they would offer it as a ransom. They will receive an evil reckoning, and their shelter will be Hell. What an evil resting-place! (Surat ar-Ra'd: 18) 

Those who refuse to be self-sacrificial and do favors for others, worrying that such actions might harm their interests, might wish to give everything that they have as a ransom to save themselves from the pains of Hell. However, they will learn on the Day of Judgment that nothing they offer will be accepted.
The superior morality of believers is praised in this regard:

[The people who guard against evil] give in times of both ease and hardship, those who control their rage and pardon other people – Allah loves the good-doers. (Surah Al 'Imran: 134)

Your wealth and children are a trial. But with Allah there is an immense reward. (Surat at-Taghabun: 15)

Allah reveals in the above verse that the allures of this worldly life are only a trial and a source of temptation. In another verse, He warns those who are overcome by desire and forget about winning His favor:

You who believe. Do not let your wealth or children divert you from the remembrance of Allah. Whoever does that is lost. (Surat al-Munafiqun: 9) 

There may be times when people have to sacrifice not only their material possessions, but also their life. It should not be thought that this is restricted to certain situations. People enjoy many different blessings in this earthly life. Believers know that all of these blessings come from Allah's mercy in the form of a test, and so always think about how they can best use the means at their disposal to win Allah's favor. Sometimes they may have to risk their life to save another believer or give up their respect, rank, and position to help another person. Likewise, they may have to use their own money to solve another person's problems, sacrifice their orderly life for a person's well-being, put their own needs second to somebody else's health, or become physically exhausted and have to expend more effort than usual.

Fully aware believers try every day to use their mind and talents, knowledge and experience, physical strength and time in the best way. When required, they give up their own comfort and free time. For example, they may deprive themselves of sleep and food, ignore their personal affairs, and do good works with the intention of benefiting others. It would be quite reasonable for them to set apart large blocks of time for themselves and use the rest to help others. Although such people may be considered to act according to their conscience and freely donate their spare time, each action can still be done better. The spirit of self-sacrifice that comes from sincere belief leads people to do more than they were going to and to make the best use of every second at their disposal.

Allah offers human beings many such possibilities. However, some people get caught up in a great desire for the things of this world. Instead of thanking Allah for the blessings they have, they become less generous, and even greedy to acquire more:

Leave the person I created on his own to Me alone, the one to whom I have given great wealth and children who stay with him and whose way I have smoothed. Then this person wants Me to add yet more! (Surat al-Muddaththir: 11-15) 

Greedy for the allures of this life, such people avoid self-sacrifice and, instead of trying to win Allah's favor, pursue their own gain:

Know that the life of this world is merely a game and a diversion, ostentation and a cause of boasting among yourselves, and trying to outdo one another in wealth and children - like the plant-growth after the rain, which delights the cultivators. But then it withers and you see it turning yellow, and then it becomes broken stubble. In the Hereafter, there is terrible punishment but also forgiveness from Allah and His good pleasure. The life of this world is nothing but the enjoyment of delusion. (Surat al-Hadid: 20) 

As stated in this verse, whatever people possess and may avoid sacrificing is like plant-growth in the field, for one day everything will pass away. Only good deeds done to earn Allah's favor will receive the finest reward in His Presence and turn into blessings in this life and the Hereafter. Allah reveals this truth:

Wealth and children are the embellishment of the life of this world. But in your Lord's Sight, right actions that are lasting bring a better reward and are a better basis for hope. (Surat al-Kahf: 46) 



 

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